Daniel Shannon fonds, 1816-1822

Lt. Daniel Shannon fl. 1777-1822, was the only son of Susan Drake, granddaughter of Rev. Thomas Drake, eldest brother of Sir Francis Drake, and Captain Daniel Shannon of the Royal Navy. He married Elizabeth Garvey, daughter of Alexander Garvey and Catharine Borden of New Jersey. Lt. Shannon was a Regular in the British Army and on February 12, 1777 he joined the Royal Standard, 5th New Jersey Volunteers. After being arrested and sentenced to hang for spying he was pardoned through the efforts of his mother Susan Drake Shannon who pleaded his case with the Governor. He served under General Cornwallis at the surrender in Virginia in 1781. In 1783 he moved to New Brunswick, Canada where he was reduced to a half-pay ensign in the 2nd Regiment of the Lincoln Militia. He was granted 500 acres of land on the St. Johns River, and on April 1, 1786 his daughter Catharine was born there. The family returned to the United States, residing in Pennsylvania, for a short time. In 1800 Lt. Shannon, with his mother and family, returned to Canada and settled in Stamford Township where he bought 200 acres of land on the Niagara River near the whirlpool. He later served in the Secret Service during the War of 1812 and was stationed at a lookout point on the Niagara River below the falls. In 1806 Shannon’s daughter, Catharine, married Thomas Lundy, fourth son of William Lundy of Stamford Township.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Widow Elizabeth Ball, 1834

Survey map and description of Widow Elizabeth Ball's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; locks no. 28, 29, 30, 31, line between Widow Ball and Thomas Ker's land, township line between Grantham and Thorold, waste weir. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map. The land was originally surveyed in 1826(?) and then re-surveyed on November 28th, 1834. The land was used by the Welland Canal Company for canal and hydraulic purposes and was located in lot 9 in the 10th concession of Grantham township.

Letter Regarding Ensign Daniel Shannon's Military Pay from the Commissariat Office- 30 May 1817

A letter stating that Military Half Pay would from then on be paid from the Commissariat Office. As a result, they require a new letter of attorney. It also states the half pay amount of Daniel Shannon.

The Gleaner and Niagara Newspaper, December 18th, 1817

The Gleaner and Niagara Newspaper was a weekly paper in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake that began publication December 4, 1817 and ceased in 1830. This bound volume has been divided by publication dates. Other dates included in the volume are: 25 December 1817 1818 January 1 1818 January 8 1818 January 15 1818 January 22 There is also a letter that was found inside the bound volume written by Andrew Heron on October 1 1817.

The Gleaner and Niagara Newspaper, December 25th, 1817

The Gleaner and Niagara Newspaper was a weekly paper in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake that began publication December 4, 1817 and ceased in 1830. This bound volume has been divided by publication dates. Other dates included in the volume are: 1817 December 18 1818 January 1 1818 January 8 1818 January 15 1818 January 22 There is also a letter that was found inside the bound volume written by Andrew Heron on October 1 1817.

Naval Occurrences of the Late War Between Great Britain and the United States of America- 1817

Full title is "A Full and Correct Account of the Chief Naval Occurrences of the Late War Between Great Britain and the United States of America; preceded by a Cursory Examination of the American Accounts of their Naval Actions Fought Previous to that Period: to Which is Added an Appendix; with Plates" This is an expanded version of author William James' pamphlet "An Inquiry into the Merits of the Principal Naval Actions between Great Britain and the United States." (Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1816) In this work he discussed how American ships, during the War of 1812, were larger and more heavily armed and manned than those of the British. He therefore, stated that American victories were due only to their greater numerical force and not their superior seamanship. Naval Occurrences is a thorough documentation of the naval operations from the British perspective that addresses contradictions and inconsistencies within the American official documents as well as political and media accounts. This is perhaps his motivation for the words "Corrected Account" within the title. James' sentiments towards the US most likely sprouted from being held prisoner while visiting in 1812. (He was falsely accused of being a renegade seeking revenge on the US.) In 1813, he escaped to Halifax where he began writing on various naval topics. James became one of the leading authorities on British Naval History.

Office of the University President Sous fonds: Dr. James A. Gibson

Dr. James A. Gibson was born in Ottawa on January 29, 1912 to John W. and Belle Gibson. At an early age the family moved to Victoria, B.C. where John W. Gibson was a director of the Elementary Agricultural Education Branch, Department of Education. Gibson received his early education in Victoria, receiving a B.A. (honours) at UBC in 1931. In 1931 he was awarded the Rhodes scholarship and received his B.A., M.A., B.Litt and D. Phil at New College, Oxford. This was to be the beginning of a long and dedicated relationship with the Rhodes Scholar Association. Upon his return to Canada, Dr. Gibson lectured in Economics and Government at the University of British Columbia. In 1938 he was married to Caroline Stein in Philadelphia, and the same year joined the staff of the Department of External Affairs as a Foreign Service officer. Within twenty minutes of his arrival he was seconded to the Office of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs, W. L. Mackenzie King in charge of War Records and Liaison Officer. This was a critical time in the history of Canada, and Dr. Gibson experienced firsthand several milestones, including the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939. Dr. Gibson was present at the formation of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945, being part of the Prime Minister’s professional staff as well as attending conferences in Washington, Quebec and London as an advisor to the Canadian delegation. Gibson contributed many articles to the publication bout de papier about his experiences during these years. After his resignation in 1947, Gibson joined the staff of the fledgling Carleton College, as a lecturer. In 1949 he was appointed a professor and in 1951 became Dean of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Gibson acted as President from 1955 to 1956 upon the sudden death of Dr. MacOdrum. In 1963 Dr. Gibson accepted the invitation of the Brock University Founders’ Committee, chaired by Arthur Schmon, to become the founding president. Dr. Gibson guided the new University from a converted refrigeration plant, to an ever expanding University campus on the brow of the Niagara Escarpment. Dr. Gibson remained firmly “attached” to Brock University. Even after official retirement, in 1974, he retained the title President Emeritus. Gibson’s final official contribution was an unpublished ten year history of the University. In retirement Gibson remained active in scholarly pursuits. He was a visiting scholar at the Center of Canadian Studies, University of Edinburgh; continued his ongoing research activities focusing on W. L. Mackenzie King, the Office of the Governor General of Canada, and political prisoners transported to Van Dieman’s Land. He remained active in the Canadian Association of Rhodes Scholars, becoming editor from 1975 to 1994 and was appointed Editor Emeritus and Director for Life in 1995 in honour of his dedicated and outstanding service. In 1993 he was awarded one of Canada’s highest achievements, the Order of Canada. Gibson retained close ties with Brock University and many of its faculty. He maintained an office in the Politics Department where he became a vital part of the department. In 1996 Brock University honoured Gibson by naming the University Library in his honour. James A. Gibson Library staff was instrumental in celebrating the 90th birthday of Gibson in 2002, with a widely attended party in the Pond Inlet where many former students, including Silver Badgers. The attendees also included former and current colleagues from Brock University, Canadian Rhodes Scholars Association, family and friends. Gibson was later to remark that the highlight of this event was the gift of his original academic robe which he had personally designed in 1964. In 2003 Dr. Gibson moved to Ottawa to be near some of his children and the city of his birth and early career. In that year “two visits to Brock ensued: the first, to attend a special celebration of the James A. Gibson Library; his late to attend the 74th Convocation on Saturday, October 18, 2003. A week later, in Ottawa, he went for a long walk, returned to his residence, Rideau Gardens, went into the lounge area, took off his coat and folded it up, put it on the back of his chair, sat down, folded his hands in his lap, closed his eyes, and died”. With sources from: Carleton University The Charlatan, Gibson CV, and Memorial Service Programme

Massachusetts Mercury, 10 June 1800 (vol. 15, no. 46) - Newspaper

Volume 15 no. 46 of the Massachusetts Mercury dated 10 June, 1800.

Report of the committee appointed to inquire what amendments are necessary to the Act granting bounties in land and extra pay to certain Canadian volunteers: January 11, 1817, read, and, together with the bill herewith reported, ordered to be printed. (1817)

Includes (p. 3-4) a letter from the Acting Secretary of War to the chairman of the committee dated Department of War, December 26th, 1816.

Report of a select committee to whom were referred the petition of Samuel Thompson and John Dailey: January 14, 1817, read, and ordered to lie upon the table (1817)

Concerning the request of the petitioners, former residents of Newark (present-day Niagara-on-the-Lake) in Upper Canada, for relief for the loss of their property when they were compelled to flee Canada after having aided the United States Army in the War of 1812.

The report of the Loyal and Patriotic Society of Upper Canada, with an appendix and a list of subscribers and benefactors (1817)

Minutes, accounts and other records, 1812-1816, of an association formed at York, to alleviate distress in Upper Canada resulting from war with United States.

The Cutting out of the Caroline (1838)

Two newspaper clippings from the Montreal Herald of 1838 and an essay clipped from a book, handsewn into a booklet with paper cover and handwritten title and notes. The burning of the Caroline / Susanna Moodie -- The cutting out of the Caroline : a true story / by Francis W. Rowsell -- Juvenile courage and patriotism : instanced in Canada, during the disturbances at the close of the year 1837

Steamboat Caroline (1838)

Message from the President of the United States transmitting the information required by a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 21st ultimo, respecting the Capture and Destruction of the Steamboat Caroline, on the night of the 29th December last.